One Last Breath
by Kou-kun
Summary: Songfic by Creed. Can be viewed as SasuNaru or SasuNaru friendship.


Dedicated to Josh K., my brother beyond the deceptions of blood.  
  
"One Last Breath"   
  
I tested my foot in the water and glanced at Sasuke. He had a smirk on his face.   
  
"To scared to swim, dobe?" He folded his arms smugly as he glared on at me. I shot him a deathly glare and growled at him, jumping off the dock. I pushed with my arms, and my toe brushed across the bottom. I pushed up off my feet with relief, grabbing onto the ladder before I could sink again. Climbing up the ladder, I shot him a grin. He scowled.   
  
"So you can swim.." I turned away before he could see me blush, and started muttering.   
  
"Of course I can, Sasuke." I put a growling tone into my voice as I said his name, and made my way to the further end of the dock, where Kakashi and Sakura sat. The sun shone down on us, and I could feel my back turning red. I grabbed the suncsreen out of my bag and shook the water out of my hair, sitting on my towel beside Sakura.   
  
"Oi, Sakura-chaan!" I sang out the last syllable of her name. "Wanna rub some sunscreen on my back?" I held out the bottle of sunscreen and grinned, squeezing my eyes shut for emphasis. To my surprise, she grabbed the bottle, but her answer contradicted what I wanted.   
  
"Ew, no way, Naruto!" At that, she stood up with my sunscreen and ran over to Sasuke. I heard her squealing as she neared him. "Ne, Sasuke-kun, do you want me to rub some sunscreen on your back? I mean, you do have fair skin and all....." She stood expectantly, gripping the sunscreen like a bible. Sasuke grumbled and sighed, looking up at Sakura.   
  
"Fine." he mumbled, seemingly annoyed. Sakura squealed again and leaned down, pouring some sunscreen into her hand. Before her hand could reach his back, I turned away, staring down at the water as tears stung my eyes. The water was crystal clear, I noticed, and the sun played beautiful designs across the sandy seafloor. There was a splash, and I turned to see Sakura rise up from under the water. She beamed and front crawled her way to the shallower waters where she could stand. Off the very edge of the dock, where the water was over 10 feet deep, Sasuke dived perfectly into the water, with barely a splash. He swam around for a bit, before retreating to the shallow waters aswell. I noticed that Kakashi was missing, and out of the corner of my eye I saw him float by on a pool noodle, reading his dirty book.   
  
I glanced down at the water, standing at the edge of the dock from where Sasuke had dived. Even at 10 feet, the water was so clear that you could see the bottom perfectly. I stared at the water for a moment, before hearing Sakura yell.  
  
"C'mon in, Naruto!" I sat down of the egde of the dock, splashing my feet around in the water. I couldn't let them know I couldn't swim. I was lucky that it was shallow where I jumped in, and I could push back to the dock from the bottom. But this was just too deep. I couldn't do it.   
  
"I don't like swimming." I said, and continued to stare at my feet as the fish swam in and around them.   
  
I didn't see Sasuke get onto the dock again.  
  
I didn't notice him creeping up behind me.   
  
I didn't have time to fight as I felt his hands on my back, I didn't have time to react as I slipped into the water. I grabbed at the area around me, praying for the dock to reach my grasp, or Kakashi's pool noodle.   
  
'Please come now I think I'm falling  
  
I'm holding onto all I think is safe'  
  
I prayed for me to hit the bottom so I could push up, but it was too deep. I couldn't swim up, and I was almost out of breath. I looked around, the waves of water swirling around me. Looking up, I could see the bright glow of the sun rippling down to me.   
  
'It seems I found the road to nowhere  
  
And I'm trying to escape'  
  
All around me, the scene was surreal. The crystaline light of the sun engulfed me, I was wrapped in a blanket of angelic light. I was tired now, and my eyes fell shut.  
  
'But I want to open them...' I thought, but I didn't know why. I assumed the scene was to pretty and opened my eyes again, looking up at the sun for a final time. I then turned my head all around, taking in the dreamlike features of the water. It was blue like the sky and clear as glass all at once, and all was solitarily quiet. The water even muffled the screams in my mind, and I soon did not know why I was holding my breath. I opened my mouth and breathed out, awestruck at the beautiful bubbles it created. I held out my hand to grab one, and at that moment, I breathed in.  
  
'I yelled back when I heard thunder  
  
But I'm down to one last breath'  
  
In terrorizing realization, I felt the water rush into my lungs and remembered why it was improtant to hold my breath. It was too late though, my body felt heavier by the moment. I couldn't move my arms and legs, and as I looked at the beatiful designs the sun played across the sea floor, I smiled. That smile was still on my face as I gently closed my eyes, the water creating a warm blanket for me as I hit the bottom.  
  
'And with it let me say  
  
Let me say'  
  
  
  
'Yay,' I thought, 'now I can sleep....' As the world stopped for me, I felt myself going up. I opened my eyes to bright light, a dark figure ahead of me.   
  
'Am I going to heaven? Is that you, God?' I watched numbly as I flew further upward, and suddenly I was pushed above the water. The sun beat down harshly still, and I coughed out a few breaths.   
  
'Hold me now  
  
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking  
  
Maybe six feet  
  
Ain't so far down'  
  
Gasping for air, I clutched to the dock tiredly, my legs still nonfunctional. The 'God' figure climbed out of the water beside me, and as my vision returned to normal, I glanced up to see who it was helping me up onto the dock behind them. My eyes were open, but I could barely move my arms and couldn't move my legs. I wasn't breathing right, I felt it, and my vision blacked out every few seconds. The figure hugged me lightly, taking my torso onto their lap. Tears fell down onto me.   
  
'I'm looking down now that it's over  
  
Reflecting on all of my mistakes'  
  
"I'm so sorry, Naruto... I'm so sorry..." I was hugged again, and my arms were limp. As my head lolled around on the person's shoulder, I smiled a dumb smile, the same one I had wore as I hit the bottom of the lake. The figure spoke again. "I'm so sorry, Naruto!! Don't die.. don't leave..."   
  
'I thought I found the road to somewhere  
  
Somewhere in His grace'  
  
I made my mouth move, I made myself talk.   
  
'I cried out heaven save me  
  
But I'm down to one last breath  
  
And with it let me say  
  
Let me say'  
  
"Sasuke..?" I croaked, and he let go of me slightly, moving my head so I was facing him. I still wore the same smile. He cried in sadness and guilt, and smiled in joy, as I was talking.  
  
'Hold me now  
  
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking Maybe six feet  
  
Ain't so far down  
  
Hold me now  
  
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking Maybe six feet  
  
Ain't so far down  
  
I'm so far down'  
  
"Yes! Yes! It's me, Sasuke!! I'm so sorry Naruto! I'm so sorry!" He paused as I raised my hand to cup his cheek.   
  
'Sad eyes follow me  
  
But I still believe there's somthing left for me'  
  
"It's okay, Sasuke. Everything will be alright..." More tears fell on me, and my vision faded once again, not to return. "Goodbye, Sasuke.. I need to sleep now." I closed my eyes and felt him shaking me, but it was only a vague feeling. I was leaving now, rising upwards as I had done in the water. I watched him shake my body, watched him cry and hug me.   
  
'So please come stay with me  
  
'Cause I still believe there's something left for you and me  
  
For you and me   
  
For you and me'  
  
"No! NO! Naruto..Naru..to.. Naruto!! I love you! Don't die!! Don't.. d..ie!" He sputtered, hugging my body and crying loudly.   
  
'Hold me now  
  
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking'  
  
I saw Kakashi place his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, and I saw Sakura collapse to her knees in shock. I continued upward, and as I looked up to the final light, the final sun, I heard Sasuke's last words to me.   
  
'Hold me now  
  
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking  
  
Maybe six feet  
  
Ain't so far down'  
  
He mumbled them through sobs, but they were the clearest words I ever heard.  
  
'Hold me now  
  
I'm six feet from the edge and I'm thinking'  
  
"I love you Naruto... I love you... goodbye..." I heard him sob, and whispered   
  
"I love you too.." as the warmth of the light engulfed me.  
  
'Maybe six feet  
  
Ain't so far down  
  
Please come now I think I'm falling  
  
I'm holding onto all I think is safe'  
  
"Goodbye, Sasuke."   
  
------------------------------------------------  
  
A/N - *sob*....*sniffle*.....*Loud, screaming sob, and the sound of a Kleenex being torn out of the box* Oh my god, that's the most beautiful story I've ever written.... *blows nose* WAAAIII!!!! *collapses in sobs as she rolls around in a pile of Kleenex* R& *sob* R!!!  
  
-Kounouri 


End file.
